More than two decades ago, my first full-time teaching experience was at a business college in Washington, D.C. I taught English, typing, and an array of other classes. Today, I am still in the classroom, and while I am not teaching typing, teaching in a computer lab makes for several comparisons. When I learned that I would teach writing using the computer, I had a few anxious moments and many questions, such as, “What will I do while students are typing their papers?” It took only one class meeting to answer that question. I helped students with their writing while they were actively engaged in the process, but I also had to learn how to address various technical difficulties. In the last few years, I have also learned to teach online. Yes, it is a long journey from the typing classroom to the Internet.

Debra Holmes Matthews, Macon State College, Georgia22 years of teaching